1. Britain’s First Author
Geoffrey Chaucer
Britain’s First Author

2. Early Years Chaucer was believed to be born in 1343
He may have attended Oxford or Cambridge
Official records give some biographical details
Captured in France (1359) during war
King paid sixteen-pound ransom for release

3. Family Married Philippa Pan in 1366 or 1368
Wife was a lady-in-waiting to the queen
Had two sons, possibly a daughter

4. Career Made a comfortable living as a civil servant
A dozen diplomatic missions to Flanders, France and Italy ( )
Negotiated marriage between Richard II and daughter of the French King
Also served as customs official, “Knight of the Shire” and keeper of the Royal Forest - this spot was an important post in Parliament.

5. Early Poet Began writing in his twenties
Based early works using style of other European poets
Was one of Britain’s first poets to publish in English
Considered the “People’s Poet”

6. Chaucer’s Legacy
Considered the Father of English poetry in his lifetime
Even 600 years later, his works are still in print
Chaucer is buried in Westminster Abbey
Chaucer’s tomb is the centerpiece of “Poet’s Corner”

7. The Canterbury Tales Written in his later years
Intended to write 124 tales before his death
The 24 tales stand as a complete work
Considered one of Britain’s literary treasures
The Yeoman

8. British Society in the Tales
Story centers around pilgrimage to Canterbury.
The church was the center of religion for Britain
Sacred ground after the assassination of Thomas Becket in 1170

9. Manuscript Ellesmere Manuscript 240 pages of parchment leaves
The most famous manuscript in the English language

10. Complexities of the Tales
Different genres have different views of the world, different vocabularies, and different images for truth
Romance- deals with human emotions and relationships
Fabliau- deals with the basic human needs of food, sex, or money
Saint’s Life- deals with the operations of God
Sermons and Ethical Treatises- deals with spiritual matters

11. What the Tales Provide A cross-section of British life
Almost all walks of life represented
Chaucer’s contempt for church is apparent

12. Literary Terms satire: characterization frame narrative/story prologue
hyperbole
Stereotype

13. Satire
A literary mode based on criticism of people and society through ridicule. The satirist aims to reduce the practices attacked by laughing scornfully at them--and being witty enough to allow the reader to laugh, also.  Ridicule, irony, exaggeration, and several other techniques are almost always present.

14. Frame Narrative (Frame Story)
The result of inserting one or more small stories within the body of a larger story that encompasses the smaller ones. Often this term is used interchangeably with both the literary technique and the larger story itself that contains the smaller ones, which are called "framed narratives" or "embedded narratives." The most famous example is Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, in which the overarching frame narrative is the story of a band of pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The band passes the time in a storytelling contest. The framed narratives are the individual stories told by the pilgrims who participate.  

15. Characterization
The method used by a writer to develop a character. The method includes (1) showing the character's appearance, (2) displaying the character's actions, (3) revealing the character's thoughts, (4) letting the character speak, and (5) getting the reactions of others.

16. Prologue
An introductory section of a literary work. It often contains information establishing the situation of the characters or presents information about the setting, time period, or action. In the "General Prologue" of The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer describes the main characters and establishes the setting and purpose of the work.

17. Stereotype
1. A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.
2. One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type.

18. Hyperbole Exaggeration or overstatement.
Example: I'm so hungry I could eat a horse. He's as big as a house.

19. THE END